The Nest
by The Violent Tomboy
Summary: Side-stories written for the Strays-verse hosted on LJ. Because the BatFamily should always stick together whenever they have issues. Preferably through the power of fluff.
1. Storytime

Fan-written side-stories for _Strays_, an AU hosted in the YJ Anon Meme in which all the BatKids (AKA the Flock) get adopted into the family young and while Dick is still Robin. Already posted two stories there, but the thread's getting cluttered with all the other stuff the fans made for it. I stuck it in the Batman section 'cause while the Strays!verse does take place in an alternate version of the animated Young Justice series, the side-stories will most focus on the BatKids.

You don't have to read the original Strays (it's still in progress), but I highly recommend it. It's really well-written, with adorable parts mixed with funny bits and parts that want to make me sob my eyes out.

These side-stories will kinda be all over the place on the timeline. Hope you enjoy!

And the URL address: http :/ / yj- anon -meme. livejournal. com / 5333. html ? thread = 14787541 #t 14787541

Also found here: http : / / strays - verse . livejournal . com /

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><p><em>"But you're filthy and have nothing to wear, so you can't come to the ball anyways without being a disgrace to us!"<em>Dick said in snooty, high pitched voice.

Cass snuggled closer to Dick, who held the thick picture book of fairy tales in his hands. Jason was on his other side, Tim was on his lap, and Steph was draped over his shoulders. The kids were comfortably nestled on Cass's bed, and they saw how Cinderella was sobbing into her hands as her wicked stepmother and stepsisters went off to the shining castle without her.

"Poor Cinderella," Tim said sadly.

"Whatever," Jason said. "If I was Cinderella, I would've just jacked a carriage and-"

"Shh!" Steph said sternly, putting a finger to his lips.

Tim turned the page, and a kindly old lady holding a magic wand stood before the crying girl.

_"I am your fairy godmother. Why are you crying, my dear child?"_ Dick's voice was now low and motherly. It then went high and breathy as he continued as Cinderella, _"I want to go to the ball, but how can I go looking the way I am?"_

Tim turned the page again, and with a wave of her wand, the fairy godmother turned the rags into a beautiful dress. On her feet was a lovely pair of glass slippers. Cass let out a small gasp of excitement. Jason rolled his eyes but didn't wipe the good-natured smile on his face. Steph giggled. Dick tousled Jason's hair and poked Steph in the forehead before returning to the book. Jason retorted by sticking out his tongue at him.

_"Now fetch me a pumpkin, some mice, a cat, and a dog,"_Dick read as the fairy godmother. Another wave of the wand, and it all became a fine carriage with white horses and a driver and a footman.

_"Now hurry along and enjoy yourself, but just remember, you must be back before midnight, for then the spell will be over."_

"Man, the fairy godmother's kinda useless."

"I said _'Shh'_!"

"Gerroff me, Steph!"

Dick, Tim, and Cass watched Jason and Steph roll off the bed as the two grappled each other and pulled at each other's hair.

"Should I keep reading?" Dick asked Cass. She nodded happily.

Steph stopped trying to bite Jason's arm. "Hey, you can't read without us!" she said indignantly before jumping back onto the bed while still clutching onto Jason.

"Will you two behave?" Dick said, attempting to look stern but not really trying to hide the humor on his face.

"Yup!" Steph said cheerfully, holding up her hand. "Scout's honor!"

"Whatever," Jason grumbled before taking his spot again by Dick's side. Steph quickly took hers as well.

Dick coughed slightly before continuing where he went off. _"Thank you, thank you so much godmother..."_

Cass snuggled even closer as her eyes shone and her mouth smiled, concentrating on nothing but the colorful images on the pages, the way Dick's voice easily switched from one character to the next, and the warmth radiating from her new family.


	2. The Care and Keeping of Bluebirds

'Cause a lot of us wish that someone got to him on time. Now excuse me while I sob my eyes out watching the first several minutes of Under the Red Hood.

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><p>There is an unspoken law in Gotham that every crook, from the two-bits to the mob bosses, knows by heart:<p>

_Never hurt a Bird, 'cause it's never worth angering the Flock._

Trip them, tie them up, knock them out, maybe even shoot them in a non-fatal area. But never do anything that they can't get back up from again, or else your life will be forfeit. The Flock will _destroy_you, if the Bat doesn't get to you first.

Of course, to a certain murderous, clown-themed psychopath, that's exactly what he wants. He just wonders why he hasn't done so sooner.

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><p>Even when his thoughts roared that this was all totally Dickface's fault, a tiny voice in the back of Jason's head berated himself for being so goddamn <em>stupid<em>.

He shouldn't have gone out on his own. Batman had repeated over and over to him and the others that as long as they worked under him and in Gotham, none of them were ever allowed to go out patrolling on their own, that they should always go out with at least one other.

But no, Dickface had left. He _left_. He got to go somewhere else on his own. He'd been gone for a few months now. The ass actually left them all, went under a new name, _Nightwing_, which totally sounded _gay_, just like the rest of him, and was patrolling another city all on his lonesome because apparently only _he_ was awesome enough for that. And apparently he was just doing _fine_. Stupid _dick_, he couldn't just leave and-

A good hard whack across his face from a crowbar snapped him out of his thoughts and sent him tumbling to the unforgiving concrete floor of a long-abandoned warehouse. Might as well too, seeing how those thoughts were what distracted him and allowed the Joker to one-up him in the first place.

"Oh, kiddo. That looked like it _really_hurt."

Jason managed to raise his head to glare back at the grinning white face. He'd have loved to see it caved underneath his fist, but his hands were securely tied behind his back. The Joker grinned wider, running his fingers across the blood-spattered crowbar.

"Now tell me, pumpkin. What hurts more? This-" the iron struck the top of his skull "-or this?" there went his ribs "Forehand-" his shoulder cried out in pain "-or backhand" he was caught underneath his chin.

The Joker let out a belting laugh, but he still heard Jason muttering something underneath his breath.

"What's that? You're going to speak up a little louder," the Joker said, leaning down so his face right next to the teen's. "I think you have a collapsed lung-"

Jason spat a bit of blood onto his Joker's cheek. The insane madman actually grimaced for a moment before slamming Jason's head into the ground.

"Now that was just _rude_," he said, standing up and wiping the blood off with a handkerchief from his breast pocket. "Boy Blunder has a lot more manners than you."

Jason gave him his best shit-eating grin despite the fact that blood was running down his teeth and gums.

"Speaking of which, I haven't seen the Big Bird as of late. Heard he got his new big boy boots and is running around in Bludhaven how. I really wanted to beat _him_ up all nice seeing how he's the first and oldest and all, but since he wasn't available, I had to settle with you," the Joker said, almost cordially, as he stuffed his handkerchief back into his pocket. He didn't miss the way Jason's mouth tightened or how his eyes, visible through the ripped domino mask, hardened. He laughed hard.

"Oh! Oh! Don't tell me there's some actual discord in that big happy family if yours!" he cackled. When the wheezes died down, he readjusted his purple suit and gave Jason a jaunty wave with the crowbar still in hand.

"Well, Batsy might've lost one kid already, but seeing how he already has so many, I'm sure he won't miss _just_one more-"

The doors promptly exploded, and the Joker barely had time to react before a foot collided into his solar plexus and sent him flying away.

He managed to get to his feet, and he actually had the gall to look disappointed at whom he saw. "Oh poo, all the kids are here but no daddy Bats."

Four pair of furious eyes all but radiated anger that would've sent most men choking underneath their intensity. The Joker was pouting.

"He's on a mission with the JLA," Nightwing said, his voice a deadly calm. "Good thing too, because we're the ones who're going to kill you. Right here, right now."

Joker slumped his shoulders. "Honestly, Batsy really has been too busy with that little club as of late to spend time with me. Why else would I go through all the trouble of doing this?"

_Dick?_ Jason managed to mouth out, feebly trying to sit up but to no avail. _Everyone?_

His siblings all spared him a glance, silently telling him that everything would be okay now before charging in, intent on permanently bringing down the one who did this to their own.

It took less than half a minute to leave the Joker in an equally bad shape as Jason.

"Any last words?" Nightwing asked.

"There's nothing I ever wanted more than to see the Bat lose it. Unfortunately, I won't when all of us die together," he said before something slipped out of his jacket sleeve and neatly into his hand. He pushed the button.

They couldn't see where the beeps were coming from, but they knew they had to get out _now_.

Everyone raced for the exit, Dick barely stopping for a precious second when he stooped down to scoop up Jason into his arms. The five of them just made a couple steps out the door before the explosion sent them flying into a stack of crates. Dick twisted his body midair as to absorb most of the impact as to lessen the pain for Jason.

"You think he died?" Stephanie said a little hopefully. Jason let out a pained moan.

"Check body later, get Jay medical attention now," Dick barked out. Everyone nodded in affirmation.

"Dick...you're...back..." Jason managed to force out. Dick gently brushed aside Jason's bangs before adjusting him more securely in his arms.

"Shh, Jaybird. Rest. Glad to know you missed me."

"Dick...face...shut...up..."

Despite everything that had just happened, everyone couldn't help grinning. Everything was going to be okay.

* * *

><p>The first thing Jason saw when he woke up was a round, cherubic, <em>angry<em>face.

The first thing he felt was a tiny fist punching him straight in the gut.

And the first thing he heard was, "You're a stubborn ass, Todd."

"Too stubborn to die. Now get off of me, Little D. All that extra pizza is making you fat and heavy."

The youngest of the Batclan, who was sitting rather comfortably on his stomach, promptly punched him again, smiling with self-satisfaction at the groan that came in response. "It's a pity that Pennyworth had insisted that I had to go on a quote on quote "play date" with Lian Harper, or else I would've been at that warehouse with everyone else."

"Awe, you do care," Jason said with mock affection. Damian crossed his arms and huffed.

"Tt. Hardly. I would've just finished you off for being such an idiot. Does Father not stress enough to you all that you're not allowed to patrol on your own? Though when Father finally deems me ready to go out, I certainly will never end up in a position you did-"

Before Jason could shoot back a not-so-witty retort, his bedroom door opened and Dick came inside. He was then aware of just how bad a condition he was in; he could barely move, it hurt to breathe (and Damian wasn't helping), his right arm was hooked up to an IV drip, his left leg was held up in a cast, and bandages probably covered most of his body, including his face.

"Damian, are you still in here? I know how worried you are about Jason but you can't just stay he-"

"SHUT UP, GRAYSON!"

Damian didn't like the way Jason was smirking at him, so there was one last punch before his little legs were running out the door, head ducked so that no one could see his furiously red face. Dick then realized that Jason had indeed returned to the land of the living.

"You're awake!" he said happily, the relief shining clearly on his face as he pulled over a chair as to sit by the bedside. Jason would've turned to the side as to not to face him has not the cast kept him firmly in place.

"How long have I been out?" he managed.

"Five days," Dick said, gently pushing aside the bangs the poked out of the bandaging.

"And the Joker?"

"Didn't find the body."

"Fucker's probably still alive then."

There was a moment's silence before Dick spoke up again. "We were all so worried about you, Jaybird. You'll be stuck in that cast for a bit, and Bruce'll probably won't let you on duty for awhile even after you've healed up, but I'm really glad you're alive."

Jason snorted. "Nice to see you still care." The words came out surprisingly harsh. Dick furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"Hey Jaybird, what's the matter-"

"What are you even doing here, anyways? Why aren't you back at Bludhaven?"

Dick rubbed the back of his head. "I was already on my way for a visit, then Steph and Tim called me, freaking out because you disappeared. It wasn't until I got back to the Batcave that they figured out where you were thanks to the last image on the cam in your suit before it went out."

"Oh."

"But seriously, Jaybird, what were you doing out? You know the rules. You always have to patrol with someone else. Tim, Steph, Cassie, they were all home. Why'd you go out on your own?"

Jason badly wanted to roll over to the side so that he wouldn't have to look at Dick's face, but the casts wouldn't let him.

"Jay, did I do something? Are you mad at me?"

Even with three quarters of his face obscured with bandages, the scowl was apparent. "No, why would I be angry that you left by yourself to do whatever. It's not like I was angry back when you spent all your time on the Team or the Titans and I'm totally not angry that I really don't see you much anymore now that you've completely left the house and it's not like I'm worried since Roy sucked _balls_when he started out on his own and-"

"Whoa whoa whoa," Dick said, cutting off the tirade and raising two hands in protest. His expression softened even further. "Was that it? You didn't want me to leave?"

"No," Jason spat out, the denial obvious. Dick was quiet for a moment before flinging his arms around him.

"_Mmfmf_get off of me Dickfa-"

"I'm sorry."

Jason stiffened.

"Guess it was pretty selfish of me, huh? Thought it was getting a bit overcrowded in Gotham with all of us here and I thought you guys would be able to handle it fine on your own, but that wasn't the real issue, huh?"

Jason could feel his eyes getting wet. Oh god he was acting like a pussy now.

"We're all growing up, you know. Tim's spending more time with the Titans while Stephanie and Cassie are helping out Babs with her new intel network. But we're still a family, and I guess I've been forgetting that. I've been too eager to go out on my own."

Dick let go of him and sat back down so that he could ruffle Jason's hair again. "But really, do you have no faith in your dearest older brother? I've been it the business a lot longer than Roy did back then."

Jason actually scowled at the wide, trollish smile. His good arm frantically groped around for something, anything at all to chuck at it. Dick laughed before hugging him again. Oh god, the cheek-to-cheek rubs. Not those. Not tho-

"So how's it sound, just the two of us, with a movie and Alfred's popcorn and the big beanie chairs and you can try to kick my fine ass afterward in sparring-"

Jason's indignant sputters were cut off by a shrill cry of delight.

"OHMYGOD DAMIAN WAS RIGHT HE IS AWAKE! EVERYONE GET OVER HERE!"

"REALLY STEPH?"

The next thing he knew, he was dogpiled. There were shrieks and cries and barks (oh god, even the mutt was on him) and through the mess of the limbs that belonged to four of his siblings (Damian was insisting/shouting above the noise that someone had to be the mature one) he could sort of see Alfred at the doorway with a tray in his hands, smiling his British smile at him. Bruce was there next to him, smiling that awkward how-do-I-be-a-good-dad-in-this-situation smile. Several years in with a couple kids and Bruce was still struggling with that. Jason was sure that he'd get a stern talking from Bruce later, but now wasn't the time.

Especially since Stephanie grabbed the tray out of Alfred's hands, declared that she'd feed him, and tried to fight off the rest of her siblings with the soup spoon who shouted back that they wanted to do it instead. Cassie actually jumped at her, trying to pin her to the ground, sending the tray flying. And that was how the steaming hot bowl of chicken noodle soup got spilled on his crotch. Tim was frantic, Dick was laughing, and Ace was trying to lick the soup off.

And as much as Jason thought that his family was annoying as hell, he wouldn't have it any other way.


	3. Snapshots

Because all my Strays!plunnies have to go _somewhere._

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><p>"Happy birthday, Babybird!" Dick and Jason said in unison as Alfred brought out the cake with its six lit candles. Tim squirmed in his seat. Bruce gently placed a hand on Tim's head, and both of them allowed themselves a small smile before Dick and Jason began to compete over who could sing louder.<p>

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><p>Dick had to stifle a laugh at the sight of the epically angry <em>pout<em> on Jason's face when Conner stepped into the room with Tim in his arms.

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><p>"DISNEY SLASH PIXAR MOVIE MARATHON NIGHT!" Steph cried out at the top of her lungs.<p>

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><p>All the rationalizations, all the theories, all the hopes, <em>everything<em> flew out of Jason's head once he saw Dick striking Tim down. Nothing mattered, because there would _never_ be a good excuse. With a beastly roar ripping out of his throat, Jason charged.

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><p>When Cass admitted that her father had periodically shot her in the leg then had beat her if she so much as flinched at the pain, she honestly shouldn't have been surprised when everyone's reaction was to tightly hug her.<p>

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><p>"We're not really taking the Batwing out for a joyride, are we?" Tim squeaked out as Steph and Jason tied him down to a seat with the seat belts while Cass turned on the engines.<p>

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><p>"Jason and Donna sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Steph sang over a furiously red-faced Jason's indignant screams to shut up.<p>

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><p>"Thank god I'm not a redhead," Jason remarked.<p>

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><p>Damian adamantly refused to let anyone else touch kitty!Dick, screeching his head off as he held his eldest brother in one hand and his katana in the other. Once he was sure that he had chased off everyone else in the vicinity, his eyes would shine as he gently stroked Dick's soft fur.<p>

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><p>Damian and Lian sat together atop Wayne Towers in comfortable silence, their sketchpads on their laps and the Gotham skyline before them. Meanwhile, inside the building itself, Dick and Jason were all but sitting on top of a paranoid Roy who was convinced that Damian had less than pure intentions towards his precious, precious daughter.<p> 


	4. More Snapshots

More plunnies! Yay!

...I promise to write an actual story. Eventually.

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><p>"Dickface, c'mon! You're late and I want to go patrolling alrea-" Jason was cut off as Dick suddenly threw himself at him, clutching him with a fierce desperation.<p>

"Never," Jason could hear Dick muttering into his head like a mantra. "I'll never put the mission first. _Never_."

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><p>"The northern cardinal, also known as the redbird or the common cardinal, is a mid-sized songbird with a body length of 21 centimeters," Conner recited to Robin's youngest brother, Babybird, who sitting on his lap and giving him his utmost attention. "It has a distinctive crest..."<p>

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><p>"You...you're that girl I met. At one of Dad's 'meetings'," Artemis realized with a start. Cass inclined her head slightly, a small smile playing on her lips. Artemis smirked back.<p>

"Nice to know both of us got away."

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><p>"Ollie, I know about Conner and Robert and I'm proud of how you're handling them, but give it to me straight. Did you or did you not take in Mia and Cissie just because Batman has a bunch of kids of his own?"<p>

"Dinah, can't you just believe that I took in the girls out of the goodness of my heart?"

"..."

"Okay, maybe a little. But there was a lot of heart involved, I swear!"

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><p>"FOR FUCK'S SAKE, CUT IT OUT!" Jason screamed as he jumped back to dodge a swipe from Damian's katana.<p>

"I WILL CUT_ YOU_! YOU STEPPED ON ALPHONSE'S TAIL!" Damian screeched back, readying his sword again before Cass appeared out of nowhere behind him, plucking the sword out of his hands.

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><p>"Batman's a busy guy, you know. He doesn't have time for everyone," Tim pointed out, moving a piece across the chessboard.<p>

"Good thing you kids are there to pick up the slack then," Edward Nigma said as his knight captured one of Tim's.

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><p>"Stay still, <em>Caroline<em>," Steph said, the hand applying the makeup impressively steady despite the fact that she was obviously trying to fight back the laughter. Tim gave her his best glare. Cassandra then held up the specially padded bra. Tim whimpered.

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><p>In hindsight, it was a really bad idea to let Dick live on his own. It wasn't that his skills in hero-ing were lacking in anyway; it was just that now that he was alone, there was no one to keep his habits in check. It hadn't even been half a year when Alfred opened the door to find a grinning Dick accompanied by a tiny child in his arms.<p>

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><p>"I know what you did at Robinson Park for all those orphans, Ivy. How'd you like a place just for you and them?" Nightwing asked, holding out his hand.<p>

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><p>At first, Damian was rather excited to be part of a team that wasn't the Flock, but then he realized with horror that the new team would be mostly comprised of girls. Puberty had just started to set in and already it was not kind to him.<p> 


End file.
